It is certainly possible to do this w/i the SE system (delete the original 1st), but people will be annoyed if they discover you doing it. You should also question whether it is likely to be effective: if the 1st version got no interest, how much should you expect the 2nd posting of the same question to do better? The best thing to do is think about why it isn't generating interest, and edit to address that. You could also ask about it here or on chat, or add a bounty.
– gung♦Oct 10 at 19:07

I didn't do much substantive, but the edit should bump it onto the main page where it might get more attention.
– gung♦Oct 10 at 19:18

Thank you! So question always appear in the "latest questions section" after they are edited?
– SebastianOct 10 at 19:23

3

The top question listed on the main page is the thread that was most recently asked, answered or edited. As other questions are acted on, they move to the top and the rest move down. Eventually, a thread is dropped off the list on the main page. The Qs that get the most attention (by far) are those displayed at the top of the main page. After that, it tends to be 'out of sight, out of mind'.
– gung♦Oct 10 at 19:27

1

If you have an unanswered question (better yet: before asking in the first place), it is a good idea to read how to ask a statistics question and to think about whether one has followed the guidance there. Note that the author of that list is our @PeterFlom.
– Stephan KolassaOct 11 at 18:52

2 Answers
2

You can "bump" your question by editing the question to provide status and progress updates resulting from your own continued efforts to answer the question yourself, or to explain why the existing answers didn't work. I usually do that unless I really hit a dead end with no further clues to follow. Sometimes I eventually bring about enough understanding to realize the answer, and then post a self-answer to my question.

If you have at least 75 reputation points, you can offer a bounty, promising to give some of your reputation to the user who correctly answers your question. This causes your question to receive additional attention, as it will be added to a "featured" list and be promoted more than normal questions.

Post a link to the question on the site's chat. Usually active users of the site will hang out there, and they can offer further help.

Use the share button beneath your question to advertise it to your networks. Then, if you find the answer, you can post a self-answer to help others who come across the same question.

Do not post your question a second time, as it will be closed as a duplicate of your first question.

Note that a re-post can only be closed as a duplicate of another question if that other question has at least one upvoted or accepted answer, so not in the present case of no answers to the original question at all. +1, nonetheless.
– Stephan KolassaOct 11 at 18:46

6

@StephanKolassa actually, if both questions are asked by the same user, then the question can be closed as a dupe to another question without answers. This is a special case for closing reposted question by the same asker.
– Andrew T.Oct 11 at 18:49

3

Cool, thanks! I learn something new about SE every day!
– Stephan KolassaOct 11 at 18:50

Expanding a question using explanations that make it accessible to a wider readership may garner attempts to answer the question. For example, providing links and definitions for infrequently used terms like "Radon Nikodym derivative." That is, there are many more people who are competent to answer in a general area than there are for a narrow topic with incidental experience. Moreover, in the case of the introduction of novel concepts to a narrow topic, the experts for a narrow topic are the last ones worth asking about it, such that general knowledge is much more valuable to solicit than particular knowledge for exploring novel concepts.

Changing tags or adding general tags with higher numbers of followers may help.